Freshman guard Tear'a Laudermill had nine points off the bench to help the Huskers.

Photo Courtesy BreAnna Haessler/NU Media Relations

Courtesy: NU Athletic Communications

11/21/2011

Lincoln - The Nebraska women's basketball team continued to show a tenacious defense and a balanced offense on its way to a 70-50 win over Savannah State at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Monday night.

With the victory, Nebraska improved to 4-0 on the season, while Savannah State slipped to 3-1 with its first loss of the year.

The Huskers, who entered the game allowing just 48.7 points per game through the first three contests, held the Lady Tigers to just 18 first-half points to carry a 38-18 lead into the locker room at the break.

Nebraska cruised to the 20-point win, holding its fourth straight opponent to less than 55 points. The last time NU held four consecutive foes to 55 or less came in the 2007-08 season from Dec. 30, 2007 (Denver) to Jan. 12, 2008 (Kansas). All four of those contests were played at the Devaney Center.

Sophomore forward Jordan Hooper led Nebraska with 15 points and eight rebounds, while junior point guard Lindsey Moore pitched in 10 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals as the only two Huskers in double figures.

Redshirt freshman guard Rebecca Woodberry contributed nine points and four rebounds off the bench, while freshman Tear'a Laudermill added nine points and two rebounds while taking a pair of charges.

The Lady Tigers came into the game surrendering just 44.7 points per contest, but all 11 of the Huskers who played in the contest found the scoring column.

Freshman Brandi Jeffery contributed six points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal off the bench, while freshman forward Emily Cady pitched in four points, two rebounds, four assists, two blocked shots and a steal. Kaitlyn Burke added four points and three boards, while Katie Simon also managed four points.

Savannah State's Ezinne Kalu led all scorers with 18 points, but committed six turnovers against the Huskers' pressure. Blessing Uba added 14 points. No other Lady Tiger managed more than five points.

The Huskers shot 42.9 percent (24-56) from the field, including 40 percent (6-15) from three-point range. However, the Huskers hit 4-of-5 threes to open the game and jumped to a 15-2 lead, before going just 2-for-10 the rest of the way. The Huskers also struggled at the free throw line, hitting just 16-of-27 free throws.

Nebraska's lead grew as large as 26 points at 46-20 with 16:33 left after an 8-0 Husker run, but SSU answered with an 8-0 run of its own in just 45 seconds.

"I was disappointed that we weren't mentally tougher, and also that we weren't stronger with the ball around the basket," Nebraska Coach Connie Yori said. "We did a good job of getting rebounds at both ends, then we just handed it to them and let them go to the basket."

Nebraska forced 19 turnovers by the Lady Tigers, while the Huskers committed 18 of their own.

Savannah State hit 40.7 percent (22-54) of its shots from the field, including 3-of-9 three-pointers. SSU was just 3-of-9 at the free throw line.

The Huskers hit the road for the first time this season when they head to Tallahassee, Fla., on Friday to take on Florida A&M. Nebraska's game with the Lady Rattlers is set for a 2 p.m. central tip. The game against FAMU is the first of three straight road games for the Huskers to close out November.